Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1887-01-20

Grand total. .$53S 279 10
The treasurer makes various suggestions aud
recommendations in his brief but compre-
nensve report to which invite the attention of
the legislature. 1t is evident that the law under
which he acts requires amendment In several
important particulars.
CAPITOL WARRANTS.
At the last session of the legislature recon-
mended the dscontinuance of the capital COM
mission. or at least the passage of the act pro-
viding for reapDTalsemcnt and sale of the
property conveyed to the territory. and tie pay
ment of the debts contracted by the commits
Sion, these debts amounting at that time to be-
tween twenty and thirty Thousand dollars.
Nothing was done, and the commission. with
almost unlimited powers. was confirmed Some
thing over twenty thousand dollars has been
added to the amount outstanding until the
total amount now reaches $4,000, evidenced
By territorial warrants drawn on the capitol
building fund, but not paid by the treasurer for
lack of funds These warrants are
anomaly in our financial sys-
tenn, Tn are a constant menace to
our credit and detrimental TO our good name.
The people interested in our securities persist in
misunderstanding the attitude OF the territory,
and protests are received from various quarters
against what Is called our reputation Of the
territory's obligations. An old law provides
that all warrants shall be received for taxes. and
an application was made a year ago to have
them taken for this purpose. To test the case
the treasurer under my direction, refused to so
receive them. Suit was brought and the dis
trict court held that they must be taken. Under
the peculiar circumstance directed an appeal
This appeal is still pending. although / some
time ago requested the attorney general to dis
miss 1t on condition that no more warrants, ex-
cept those then provided for, were issued. and
that the commission would resign and pay the
accrued costs. The property belonging to this
fund, worth certainly much more than the debt,
should be sold aud some plan adopted which
viii no longer permit these warrants. bearing
the official seal OF the territory, to
be hawked about the country, an en-
barrassment and disgrace to the people.
VARIOUS REPORTS.
Tho report of the auditor shows that vast
volume Of business has been transacted In his
oftce. Nothing more clearly denotes the growth
and development Of the territory than the ex-
hibit thus made. I call particular attention to
this report and the suggestions contained there
In. which are based upon the experience of this
officer and made after the most painstaking
and digent inquiry. His recommendations re-
Rarding the amendment OF the revenue law are
particularly worthy OF consideration. The re-
port OF the superintendent of public instruc-
ton gives marvellous exhibition Of the growth
OF the territory, both In population and educa-
tional advantages. The report has been received
SO late as to prevent that extended comment
which its Importance deserves. / can only COM
mend 1t to the legislature well worthy of their
examination and study. The following table
gives brief summary OF the facts contained in
the report The figures are those for the year
Iotal rece1pts............. -, Jay, go %
expenditures. .................... 1,9l1,25S 6S
Balance ON hand ......."......... $432, 0o6 SO
Number of children of school age. 1903 1884
Number of teachers employed. 5O55
Number Of schools. .............. 1905
Number OF school houses......... 3467
Population to each school. ....... 129
Sftttngs in school houses. 110,111
Value OF permanent school prop
erty.... Fl, 9S9, 696 20
The interesting report of the commissioner of
immigration is submitted herewith Ii any one
has supposed this Office to be sinecure. the pc
rusal OF the report will dispei the idea The
business OF the commissioner has steadily grown,
until his Office is now among the busiest Of the
territorial officials. Inquiries about Dakota have
been received from nearly every state and terri
tory in the Union, embracing nearly 5000 sep
arate Inquiries In nineteen months. From 20
600 to 10000 persons have been supplied with
documents of various kinds. The number OF
miles OF railroad track laid during 1856, as
given by the commissioner. is 678 and
the total miles of completed road IN the
territory, 3,49l. Several hundred miles are
graded also, on which tracklaying will begin In
the spring. One OF the most important duties
assigned the commissioner, that OF collecting
local statistics, he has been unable TO perform
IN anything like thorough and satisfactory
manner. owing to the defects of the law Such
results as 1t has been possible TO accomplish are
submitted with his report He suggests certain
amendments to the law in this, and other re-
spects, to which invite your attention. The
board OF agriculture has accomplished more than
was hoped in its formation. In deserves en-
enlargement Two fairs have been held at
Huron which were surprising In their complete
ness. and In the success which attended them.
tion OF this board. or other competent direction,
would be valuable help to our AGRICULTURAL in
terest We do not want scheme to provide
places for more officials, but plain simple pro-
vision for practical experiments, which shall be
OF service to the farmers of the territory. The